Expanded-metal package-roll.



N- E. CLARK.

EXPANDED METAL PACKAGE ROLL.

APPUCATION FILED JUNE 12, 1914.

, 1,169,462. Patented Jan. 25, 1916.

UNllTED STATE PATENT @FFTQE.

NORRIS ELMORE CLARK, OF PLAINVILLE, CONNECTICUT.

EXPANDED-METAL PACKAGE-ROLL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 25, 1916.

Continuation in part of application Serial No. 285,810, filed January 12, 1506. This application filed June 12, 1914. Serial No. 844,628.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Nonnis ELMoRn CLARK, a citizen of the United States of America, and residing at Plainville, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented new and useful Improve .ments in Expanded-Metal Package-Rolls, of which the following is a specification.

A material commonly known as expanded metal has for a number of years been on the market. The more common type of this material is formed by slitting a sheet of metal to form strands connected in staggered arrangement and either in the slitting operation or in a separate operation drawing or bending the strands so as to form meshwork. The material is used for cement and concrete reinforcement, as lathing for plaster work as well as for grille work for various purposes. So far as I am aware, this material has always heretofore been manufactured and sold in relatively small sheets. I have discovered that this material has certain peculiarities which when recognized and availed of enable me to practice not only great economy and uniformity in manufacture, but also enables me to handle the product much more economically and expeditiously and to ship it cheaper and with less likelihood of damage in transit.

According to my invention the material is expanded in the direction of the length of the sheet and coiled under tension into a tight roll constituting a package particularly well adapted for handling, shipment, storage and use.

Figure l, is a perspective view of a package roll of expanded metal on a small scale, embodying the improvements of my invention. Fig. 2, represents diagrammatically the coiling up or rolling of the fabric under tension. Fig. 3, shows a fragment of one corner of an expanded metal fabric of a size suitable for reinforcement or grille work. Fig. 4, is a longitudinal sectional view of an expanded metal fabric showing the strands and bonds inclined relative to the general plane of the fabric. Fig. 5, is a similar view of a fragment of fabric flattened out.

The fabric consists of a plurality of strands such as 7, 8 and 9 extending transversely or crosswise of thesheet. Adjacent strands are connected together at a plurality of intervals such as 10, 10 and 11, 11 at points which may be called bonds.- The sheet is expanded lengthwise in its formationin the direction of the arrow of Fig. 3 so as to form meshes 12 and 13. It will be noted that each strand is bent or drawn into zigzag shape and that the adjacent strands are connected together at bonds arranged in staggered relation. The meshes are commonly referred to as diamond shaped. I have found that if this material is fed in the direction in which it is expanded it may be coiled up for instance, on a drum 14c rotating in the direction of the arrow of Fig. 2.

In fact, the product may be expanded or stretched lengthwise in such a coiling operation and the product coiled under tension. After the expanded metal has been rolled or coiled up into package form, the outside end of the sheet may be fastened in any suitable manner as for instance, by one or more wires, clips 15, or other suitable devices. By a proper layout of the slitting tools, the edges of the sheet such as the lower edge of F 3 will be uniform and will not require trimming.

By making the product in a long strip, expanding it lengthwise and coiling it up into a roll, the material is expanded uniformly and a uniform width and mesh is produced. This avoids loss of time in handling separate sheets and reduces the end scrap to a minimum. By coiling up the product it is possible to operate a practically continuous process even in a very small space and the use of cutting-off mechanism is unnecessary. The rolled product is easier to handle than sheets and much more compact and cheaper to ship. The roll is also very rigid not only laterally, but endwise so that there is but little likelihood of damaging the product in handling. It is found also that when it comes to the use of the product that there is much less scrap. There is less occasion for overlaps and therefore a saving in this way. It is also possible by the use of my invention to ship and use very long lengtns of expanded metal without the necessity of splic- 111g.

This application is a continuation in part of my application #295,810 filed January 12th, 1908 which shows mechanism for expanding a sheet longitudinally. My Patents #930,349 and #l,037,20i show mechanism for slitting a sheet transversely of the direction of feed. My earlier application #295,810 and my application #302,408 show different forms of mechanism for expanding a sheet laterally and such material may be coiled if it is flattened sufficiently, or if it is corrugated transversely after flattening. 'My application #331,981 claims the method of expanding a sheet by coiling it under tension.

That I claim is 1. As an article of manufacture, reticulated expanded metal consisting of strands connected together at intervals in staggered Copies of this patent may be obtained for suitable for handling and shipment.

2. As a new article of manufacture a tightly coiled roll of longitudinally expand- MORRIS ELMORE CLARK.

\Vitnesses:

A. A. MAoLEon, E l V. EDDY.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

arrangement and coiled into a tiglit roll It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,169,462, granted January 25, 1916, upon the application of Norris Elmore Clark, of Plainville, Connecticut, for an improvement in Expanded-Metal Package-Rolls, an error appears in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 2, signature of inventor, for Morris Elmore Clark, read Norms Elmore Clark; and that the said Letters Patent should he read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oflice.

Signed and sealed this 15th day of February, A. D., 1916.

[SEAL] R. F. WHITEHEAD,

Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

